Coal-washing apparatus



May 13 1924.

G. w. WILMOT ET AL COAL WASHING APPARATUS Filed June 14 2 Sheets-Suez 1 INVENTORS.

ATTORNEY.

May 13 G. W. WlLMOT ET AL COAL WASHING APPARATUS Filed June 14, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 nun"! V IVNTORS A TTORNEY.

Patented May 13, 1924.

srares" PATENT .1;

GEORGE W. WILMOT AND FRANCIS H. BLATCH, 0F HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, AS;-

SIGNORS TO WILMOT ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF HAZLETQN, PENNSYLVANIA,, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CQAI-wWASHING APPARATUS.

pp i io a n 1 ,92 t a im -5 ,1 4..

To all whom it may co-nc erm Be it known that we, GE RGE 'V WILMO'I. and FRANCIS H. BLATCH, citizens of the United States, and residents of Hazleton, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvementin Coalashing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. I

Although we shall describe our invention as embodied in apparatus for washing coal and separating slate, stone, and the like therefrom, it will be understoodthat said invention is adapted to be applied to and embodied in apparatus for washing other materials, such as ore. v The general object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of a stationary jig pan and means for forcing a cur-' rent of water therethrough whereby the separation of the coal, from foreign'material, such as slate, stone, and the like, is effected efficiently,particularly in the case of smaller sizes or grades of coal.

A further object of the invention is to provide means carried partly by the 'stationary jig .pan and vpartly independently thereof for creating and positively forcing a current of water through the perforated bottom of the jig pan and upwardly through said pan and through the material therein to be washed.

Other objects and-advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent fromsuch description. p

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its practical features of advantage fully appreciated reference may be hadv to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred form of mechanical embodiment of the apparatus is shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of apparatus (a portion thereof being broken away) embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken in a plane at right angles to the plane in which Fig. 2 is taken;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a portion of the jig pan and of the means for creating and forcing a current of water through said pan;

P un r it a ed le '5 at. top plan V e o Portion the a ve m hani m f aec p o a i na e nea h th a arm t- Fig. 7 is a'transverse sectional view of the portion of valve structure shown in Fig; 5

taken on the line 79-7 of said figure;

F g, 8 1s a topplan View of aportion of a stat onary valve strueture situated inter- Fig. 6 longitudinal sectional View. of I the portion of the valvestructiire shown in Fig, 5 taken on the line 6 6.0f said figure;

mediate the jig panloottom and the valve .mechanism ofthe plunger; and

Fig, 9-is a] longitudinal sectional view of oneend portion of the part of valve structure shown in Fig. 8.

which the tank, designated asa whole by the reference numeralQ, is supported. Situated within the tank, which .is adapted to of known construction. "Thebottoin of the jig pan is inclined towardthe discharge the stationary l Referring to the drawings 1 designates,

as a whole, the frame structure by'means of end of the apparatus, as indicated in Fig/3,

and apart ofione side portion thereof adj acent its rear or discharge end 1S inclined 1nwardly, the inner edge of such inclined portion terminating adjacent the innerend of the relatively narrow slate discharge opening'lO. Thepnrpose of, providing the bot tomo fthe jig pan with such inclined part or portionisto direct the slateand other relatively heavy material toward the opening 10 through which it is adapted to b discharged from the, pan. w

. Thecoal or other material, which is of less Specific gravity, than the slateor other impurity, is maintained by the action of the water within a region or zoneabove that of the heavier material and is discharged from the pan through the discharge chute 1 5"in known manner. The coalor othermaterial so discharged is received andjtake'n up by the ,conveyer or, carrier l6, by which it'is conveyed from the apparatus and discharged. A forwardlyand dewnwardly. inv clined shield or battle-plate 17 is situated above the opening 10 provided for the dis charge of the slate or other impurities. The purpose of such shield or battle-plate is to effect more eflicient separation of the coal or other material of less specific gravity from the slate or other impurity of greater specific gravity.

The height of the opening 10 is adapted.

to be adjusted and varied by means of the adjustable breast plate 20 which is situated on the inside of the stationary end plate 21 of the pan. Adjustment of the plate 20 is effected by means of the rotatable adjust ing screw rod 22. The slate which passes through the opening 10 piles up and finally flows over the upper edge of the adjustable plate 25 having connection with a screw threaded adjusting rod 26. By varying the height of the plate 25 the height to which the slate is caused to pile or bank up intermediate the said plate and the opening 10 may be varied; also byv adjusting the said plate the speed with which the slate escapes from the pan is controlled.

Frequently accompanying the slate will be found sulphur and other compounds which are heavier than the slate and it'is desirable that these be permitted to escape through an opening underneath the plate 25. Such an opening is provided. as indicated at 30, and-its height is adapted to varied or adjustedby means of the adjustable plate 31 situated upon the inside of the stationary plate 32 upon which both the plate 21 and the plate 25 is supported. Adjustment of the plate 31 is effected by means of the screw threaded adjusting rod 33. The upper end portions of the rods 22, 26. and 33 are supported in bearings 35 which in turn are supported upon cross bars 36 extending between the top side members 37 of the frame 1.

The slate and other material which may be discharged through the opening 10 are delivered to a conveyer 40 and are conveyed thereby from the tank 1 and discharged in known manner. The conveyor 40 is inclosed'within a casing 421 so. as to prevent the slate and other material from escaping from the conveyer. The conveyer 16 is likewise partially inclosed by a casing 42 for the same purpose.

Any material which may not be conveyed away by the conveyers collects in the bottom of the truncated projection or boot 45 leading from the tank from which it may be discharged through an opening controlled by a valve 46, in known manner.

For the purpose of creating and forcing a current, of water upwardly through. theperforations in the bottom of the tank we have secured to the tank underneath the bottom thereof the depending chamber 50. the lower end of which is open. The upin order that the water which is forced upwardly through the chamber may also enter the bottom of the jig pan 3 at points adjacent its forward and rear ends.

The chamber 50 is provided a considerable distance above its lower end with a stationary plate having openings therethrough which are controlled by ball valves 56 which are held within cages comprising upright posts or lugs 57, the said posts being arranged with respect to the openings as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing. These openings are arranged in rows, as indicated also in Fig. 8, and bars 60 supported adjacent the upper ends of certain of the posts as shown, retain the balls within the respective cages formed by the posts. These bars are situated a short distance above the ball valves 56 so that the latter may be moved upwardly to open the openings within the plate 55 by the pressure of water upwardly against the same as will be hereinafter described.

For the purpose of forcing water upwardly through the valve controlled openi ngs within the plate 55 we have provided a valve structure designated as a whole by the reference number 65, the opposite sides of whichv structure are provided with downwardly extending brackets 66 which are secured to depending bars 68 connected at their upper ends to eccentrics 69 upon a shaft 70 supported in bearings upon the side members 37 of the frame 1. The valve structure 65 comprises a rectangular shaped frame member designated as a whole by the reference number 80, which frame member is provided with a laterally extending flange like portion 81. The brackets 66 are secured to the underside of the said frame member 80, as is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A plurality of rectangular shaped plate members 82, two in the present instance, extend longitudinally of the apparatus and are provided with offset flange like portions 83 at their opposite ends which rest upon the upper sides or edges of the opposite end portions of the frame 80. Plates or bars 85 are situated above the frame member and the inner underneath portions thereof are cut away as indicated and rest upon flanged end portions 83 of the members 82. These parts 80, 83 and 85 are secured together by means of bolts 87. The outer edges of the flanges 81 and of the bars 85 are situated in adjacent relation to or in contact with wear plates 88 which are situated upon the inner surface of the lower portion of the chamber 50. Bearing bars 89 are situated within the space between the flange 81 and the plates or bars 85. Arranged. at right angles to the plates or bars 85 are-similar plates-9O which are secured at their inneredges tothe top edges-of the side of the frame member 80. Located in the spaces between the said plates'90 and the flange like portions 81 are bearing bars 91 arranged at right angles to the bearing Openings the valve*structurewater is forced outwardly therethrough to' press thebearing mem bers .89 and 91 against the wear platesSS.

The members 82 are provided'with elongated openings 98 extending therethrough which openings are arranged incouples and in longitudinal alinement' with each other, as shown 1n Fig. 5. The lnner ends of these openings are separated or spaced from each other, as shown in Fig.'-'*7'. Situated upon opposite. sides ofjthese openings are short upwardly extending flanges 99 fromwhich project at intervals posts 100. These posts are situated on opposite sides of the openings 98, as shown. These posts are relatively wide, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, and are provided near their tops with openings 101 through which extend rods 102. The purpose of these rods is to retain cylindrical tubular members 103 in position above the elongated openings 98. The opposite ends of these tubes are adapted to be closed in any suitable manner. In the construction, as illustrated, a single valve tube 104 is provided for each couple of openings 98. In other words, each valve tube is of a length to co-operate with the inner edges of the flanges 99 upon opposite sides of each opening 98 of each couple. For the purpose of strengthening th plates they are provided with ridges 105 which extend transversely thereof and which are situated between the inner ends of the openings constituting the respective couples.

Slush openings 106 are provided at intervals in the valve plates 82 intermediate the valve controlled openings 98. In the operation of the device the valve structure designated as a whole by the reference number 65, as above stated, is reciprocated by reason of its connection with the bars 68 which are connected with the eccen trics 69.v Rotation of these eccentrics causes reciprocation of the bars 68 and consequent reciprocation of the valve structure 65 within the lower end portion of the chamber 50. Upon descent of the said valve structure the upward force or pressure exerted by the water against the tubular valve members 104 opens the same and permits the water to'fio-w through the openings 98. It will be seen that the space between the valve structure 65 and the valve structure comprising the plate 55 and valves 56 becomes filled with water. The valves 56 occupy closed positions during the descending movement of the valve structure 65. Upon upward. movement of the valve structure;,65 the valve rods 104:. close sothat the water within said space is. forced upwardlythrough the openings in the valve? plate 55. The valves=56 at such timer-are -movedupwardly by the pressure of the wateragainst the same. Thewater which thus flows upwardlythrough the open- .ings inthe-plate 55 is forced upwardly through the perforations in the bottom of the ig pan 3 and ultimately. fiowswout through the chute 15 and possiblyover the edges of the said pan. The presence of the I valve structure comprising the valve plate 55 and valves 56 preventsa recession orreturn *fiow of the water through and from the pan upon: descending movement of the valve structure 65. It will; be seen,therefore, that the fiow'of water through the jig pan is "0011'- there is no reverse flow. The result of main- .85 I .stantly upwardly. and-forwardly and that i bring about a more eflicient action of the apparatus in effecting the separation of coal,

slate, etc., from each other.

It will be understood that in some cases it may be found desirableto omit the valve structure comprising the plate 55 and the valves 56 and operate the apparatuswith the reciprocating valve structure only.

The coal ingredient of the mixture being,

of less specific gravity than other portions thereof moves toward the top of the Water andis discharged through the chute 15 while the slate and other material of greater specific gravity tends toward the bottom of the jig pan and finally settles upon such bottom and flows out through the opening 10 hereinbefore described.

'Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. In a coal washing apparatus, the combination of a tank, a stationary ig pan situated within said tank and provided with a chamber upon its underside, the lower end of which opens into said tank, a valve strucsaid tankhaving perforations in the bottom thereof, a chamber situated'within said tank directly underneath the bottom of said jig pan, a reciprocating automatically acting valve structure situated and adapted to re,- cipro'cate withinthe lower end portion of said chamber, and an automatically acting stationary valve structure situated within said chamber between the said reciprocating &

valve structure and the bottom of said jig pan.

3. In a coal washing apparatus, the combination of a jig pan having a perforated bottom, a chamber situated directly underneath the said jig pan, the upper portions of the forward and rear walls thereof being inclined forwardly and rearwardly, wear plates situated upon the inner sides of the lower end portions of said chamber, a reciprocating valve structure situated within said chamber and having bearing blocks secured in the outer edge portions thereof which are adapted to be pressed against the said bearing plates upon upward movement of said valve structure, a stationary plate secured 1 within said chamber a distance above said reciprocating valve structure, which plate is provided with openings therethrough, valves for opening and closing said openings, and means for retaining the said valves in operative relation to said plates and the openin'gs therein.

4. In a coal washing apparatus, the combi nation of a stationary jig pan having a perforated bottom, a chamber secured to said pan situated directly underneath the bottom thereof, the lower end portion of said chams end portion of said chamber, connections between said eccentrics and said valve structure for supporting the latter whereby upon rotation of the said eccentrics the said valve structure will be reciprocated, and a stationary valve structure situated within the said chamber between the reciprocating valve structure and the bottom of said pan.

In testimony that we claimithe foregoing as our invention we have hereunto signed our names this 3rd day of June, 1922. Y

GEORGE W. WILMOT. FRANCIS H. BLATCH. 

